Pew Research: Europeans fear wave of refugees will lead to more terrorism and fewer jobs

There has been a recent surge of refugees into Europe that has featured prominently in the anti-immigrant rhetoric of right-wing parties that now litter the Continent. In fact, since the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1993 that formally confirmed the EU, 33 far right political parties have emerged. Britain’s Ukip under Nigel Farage was one of them.

In what turned out to be a heated debate over the UK’s decision to exit the European Union, attacks in Paris and Brussels have fueled public fears about terrorism that stoked an anti-immigrant sentiment. As a new Pew Research Center survey illustrates, the refugee crisis as it stands today and the rising threat of terrorism are very much related to one another in the minds of many Europeans. In eight of the 10 European nations surveyed by the Pew Research centre, half or more believe incoming refugees are increasing the likelihood of terrorism in their country.

The mainstream media have had a hand in forging public opinion and been largely responsible for the message that immigration and the refugee crisis is the cause of terrorim and job losses.

Given that these fears were prominent in Britain’s recent EU referendum, one surprise is that of all the countries with the greatest fears of terrorism by immigration, the UK’s perception was in fact ranked lower than most EU countries. That does not bode well for the rest of the EU going forward.

It’s not just terrorism that is the only concern people have about refugees arriving in their thousands. A significant number of people are also worried that they will be an economic burden. Half or more in five …